Oakhall Druid Tome
Introduction Three main tenets of Druid Magic are upheld by the practitioners of the Circle of Oakhall: Balance, Tenacity, and Versatility. Throughout all aspects of Druidic Magic these three main pillars can be seen. In the power and the natural world and the celestial bodies. The restorative properties of the healing arts. Natural Magic The application of nature magic is incredibly versatile. For all intents and purposes, shapeshifting, healing, Solar and Lunar magic fall under natural magic. It should be noted that natural magic is not limited to these few powers however. Nature magic also involves the manipulation of nature itself through the use of the aforementioned life flow. By manipulating the life flow a Druid can do much more than just heal his allies. Manipulation of Nature A very simple and common example of this manipulation is found in the popular spell often called 'Entangling Roots.' A manipulation of roots from beneath the ground from nearby trees. This spell is usually used to tangle a combatant's legs and feet in roots to prevent the victim from moving around. Roots do not have to be manipulated in this manner however. They could be used to grasp limbs or even break bones. A powerful root could stretch from the ground and lash out at a Druid's foe to inflict harm upon them. Another powerful example of natural magic is known as 'Barkskin'. This spell is much more complex than the simple manipulation of the life flow, however. To the uneducated eye, this spell may seem to be a transmutation of the flesh or the conjuring of bark. The first assertion is a more accurate representation of what is occurring in this spell. Through the use of mana the Druid grows bark from their own body to act as armor. While many people believe that plants require dirt, water and sunlight to grow they are not entirely correct. Plants merely require energy to grow, and energy can be obtained in more ways than just dirt, water and sunlight. That is merely how most plants obtain their energy. The bark grown by the Druid is similar to toughened skin. Durable yet still flexible. Once the bark is grown, the Druid can pour energy in the form of mana into his new bark like skin, causing it to grow thicker and stronger. Bark is limited to a point. It certainly would not stop a ballista bolt, for example. But a cunning Druid can apply as much mana to make his bark skin as thick as a situation calls for. Wind and Storm Generally Druidic magic is based and rooted in living things, such as plants or animals. An odd exception to this is the use of wind and storm. Malfurion Stormrage has been known to have great capabilities to call upon the power of wind and storm. The Archdruid has also been known to summon dense hurricanes, and control tornadoes capable of sundering large swaths of land. Other less powerful Druids have been known to control small to large gusts and similarly small to large vortexes. While the source of this power seems to be unknown, there are theories that suggest Avianna has granted this power unto Druids. She is a benevolent wild god, and her acolytes have been known to show proficiency in calling upon the powers of wind. Celestial Magic Lunar and Solar magic are another example of Druidic magic that is not based in life. Celestial Magic is incredibly powerful when unleashed open a Druid's foes and is capable of causing devastating damage to its targets. Similar to how a Shaman draws power directly from the Elements by request, a Druid draws power from the Sun or Moon by request. When a Druid's request has been granted by the Solar or Lunar powers, that Druid is capable of using Solar or Lunar magic respectively. It should be noted that Druids can be very restricted when it comes to using Celestial magic based off their location. A Druid would be remiss to call upon the power of the Sun in the dead of night when only the Moon shines upon them. Similarly, underground a Druid may find this Celestial magic nigh impossible to obtain. A Druid should always be aware of their mana reserves when casting their magic. Lunar and Solar magic especially should be used with caution and great care when mana reserves are being depleted. Given the immense power of Solar and Lunar magic, their energy is exceedingly difficult to channel. As such the mana expenditure can be quite demanding. A less experienced Druid with little mana in their reserves would be unwise to attempt using celestial magic. Important Events A note should be made about Lunar eclipses. These rare events are occurrences when the Moon completely blocks out the Sun. During this time, the Lunar magic of a Druid is inordinately magnified. Almost as if the Sun and Moon were merging their energy into one powerful beacon from which Druids can potentially draw their energy. A Druid lucky enough to use an eclipse in the heat of battle would be an incredibly devastating sight to witness. While the window of opportunity may be as short as only a few minutes, these precious few minutes could easily tip a hopeless battle in the favor of a Druid's allies. Another word of caution must be offered to, however. While the devastating power of a Luner eclipse empowered Druid is awesome and terrifying, the physical and mental drain upon the Druid will similarly be immense once the eclipse has ended. In desperate situations the Druid may be wise to tap into this immense power to destroy their foes, but should they fail to win the battle before the eclipse ends they may find themself unable to fight as effectively as before the eclipse began. Aspects of Natural Magic The primary aspects of casting nature magic is based upon what natural magic is being called upon. The balance is found most prolific in the usage of Celestial Magic. Casting healing magic is based upon a Druid's connection, or intimacy, to the Life Flow. The manipulation of living things is also very much tied to the life flow. Without the connection to that energy which moves through all, a Druid's powers would be severely diminished. Healing Arts Druids heal with the best remedy: Nature. Druidic healing is similar to the way a person would naturally recover from injury. Recovery requires energy. A wounded person's body delegates some energy to focus on healing the wound. This is why an injured person requires lots of rest and can be fatigued quite quickly. A Druid is in touch with the flow of this life energy and the life flow of all around them. Through the use of mana, a Druid can direct a body to delegate more energy to healing the wound. This surplus energy can be guided by the Druid to increase the rate at which a person would heal from their injuries. In this way Druidic healing is extremely powerful. The limit of the healing is purely that of their mana reserves. If a Druid were to be near a font of natural mana, such as a Moonwell, their healing abilities are potentially unmatched. Master Druids can produce astonishing results, healing many allies at once in the heat of battle at alarming speeds. The Druid does not generally pull energy from a wounded person's body to heal them. The amount of energy required for the healing of some wounds would leave the Druid or the patient very tired. Instead a Druid should use a portion of their mana, converting this mysterious energy into life energy. Because the Druid uses his magic to increase the rate at which a wound is healed, all the natural effects of a wound can afflict a patient after healing. If a patient was wounded greatly by a sword, there will probably be quite a bit of scarring despite the Druid's magic. While off the battlefield and less pressed for time efficient healing magics, a Druid generally employs heavy use of herbal remedies and reagents to assist in healing their allies. Nature’s Cure Curing ailments such as poisons and diseases is part of the Druid's basic healing abilities. Curses are also capable of being nullified to a certain extent by more proficient and experienced Druids. Just as a body can heal itself from a wound given time, so too can a body handle many diseases and poisons through natural means. Druids target this methodology in their curings. Disease and sickness are the simplest of things to heal. Poisons are a bit more difficult than disease. Curses are of much greater difficulty than diseases and require vast knowledge from the Druid. Disease and Poison Diseases and sicknesses are generally cured by the body given enough time. More dangerous diseases and sicknesses can take longer, or may prove fatal if the victim does not find some cure. A Druid heals these ailments similar to how he heals a cut or a bruise wound. By directing the flow of life energy and using their mana, the Druid focuses the bodies' restorative efforts beyond their maximum potential. Allowing diseases that normally can't be cured by the body itself to be targeted and eliminated. Foods blessed by waters of a Moonwell can be very effective for healing diseases and sicknesses. Poison and venom are not generally healed by the body. Rather the effects of the poison and venom are worked through the body until their course is complete. A druid may heal poison and venom all the same, however. After locating the poison or venom, a Druid can pour energy into the body to combat the poison or venom. Again, mana would generally be the primary source for this energy. The effects of poison and venom are easy enough to handle through the use of mana, and little mana is generally required to cure these ailments. Of course, poisons and venoms vary in strength, and the stronger they are the more energy will be needed to combat them. Curses Curses are affixed to the soul, not the body. The body can not naturally heal what is not attached to it. Even though the curse is not directly affixed to the body, it still causes physical ailment to the victim. The Druid must be crafty in his healing of a curse then. Instead of directly removing a curse, a Druid generally breaks its ties to the life flow from the spirit to the body. The life flow pours from the soul to the body. A skilled Druid can find the life flow of his patient and follow the river of life to the spirit. From there he can identify the corrupting agent. While some Druids possess the power to directly remove these curses, not all Druids can do this. Instead, a less powerful Druid can mold the life flow such that it does not pass by or flow near the corrupting agent, effectively nullifying the corrupting agent's ability to corrupt the life flow from the spirit to the body. Most curses are temporary by their nature, and as such will fade in time. So redirecting the life flow until the curse has left the spirit is a perfectly valid method for nullifying some curses. More malignant curses are capable of shifting their position on the spirit to start corrupting the life flow again. At that point, a less experienced Druid would be wise to find their patient a more powerful healer. Some curses are also incredibly long in duration and need to be removed instead of negated. Again, finding a more powerful healer is the Druid's best option if they can't remove the curse themself. Aspect of Healing Druidic healing is tied primarily to natural energy and the life flow. The more adept a Druid is at identifying the life flow of those around them, the more effective they can be as a healer. To broaden a young Druid's mind to identify the life flow, a simple meditation exercise is given to the young Druid as a task. Once the Ovate can identify the life flow they are ready to begin this meditation. It is important to note that most Ovates will have a general sense of the life flow naturally, but being able to identify a singular creature’s life flow is a skill that requires more practice and training to acquire. Life Flow Meditation The Ovate is instructed to find a quiet grove deep within any forest. They are to sit upon the earth, a log, a stump or whatever they wish provided it is a part of nature. From there they are to close their eyes and internalize themselves, finding and embracing their own life flow. They must then expand their mind until they can feel the life flow of the grass near their feet. Of the ant colony a few feet away. The family of rabbits far away in their den. The trees surrounding them. The young Druid should do this exercise at least once a day. To the untrained mind, the life flow of the forest sounds like a soft, gentle hum. To the experienced, a symphony of life energy from the tidal wave of the flowing life around them. Shapeshifting and Beast Magic A staple ability of Druids is that of turning themselves into various bestial forms. Druids transform their very bodies into versatile forms for use in combat and travel. While it can be argued that all forms that a Druid can take is suited for combat, some forms obviously have a natural advantage over others in combat. However, few will argue that any form is the best shapeshifted form. It is a pointless debate because shapeshifting magic is similar to natural magic in that situation and location can change the value and strength of the form. Shapeshifting Shapeshifting is a powerful and versatile tool to any Druid. Despite what appears to be complex, even some novice Druids are capable of taking the easier to control forms. The difficulty of shapeshifting is involved primarily in maintaining the form for a long duration and not falling prey to the addiction of being within the form. Shapeshifting is a very tranquil state of being. It can be lulling for a Druid to let his mind slip into slumber as the spirit of the form takes control of the body. It is the greatest danger for a shapeshifting Druid. The act of shapeshifting is simple as aforementioned, but the concept behind the shapeshifting can be difficult to grasp. Simply said, shapeshifting is the act of merging the Druid’s spirit with that of a great animal spirit. What spirit the Druid is merging with defines what form the Druid will take. Merging with the great bear spirit will obviously make the Druid take the form of the bear. This is similar for all the forms. The Druid calls upon the animal spirit they wish to transform into, and if the spirit is willing, then the spirit of the Druid and the animal spirit shall merge causing the transformation. It should be noted that the Druid’s relationship with that spirit animal is what will determine the success of their transformation. The great bear spirit may not be willing to aid a foolish Druid that has slaughtered a bear needlessly, for example. Beast Relations Due to their exposure to nature, Druid’s are very in tune with many animals of the wilds. While many animals would flee in fear of bipedal sentient beings, Druids connect to nature and the life flow seems to appease wild creatures a bit. Druids are able to commune with animals to a certain extent as well. Adept Druids are even capable of calming down a beast in the heat of combat, preventing a potentially dangerous and harmful situation from occurring. These adept Druids are also capable of inciting violence from animals, such as calling upon a swarm of insects to tear at the flesh of their foes. Different Forms As mentioned before, Druids are capable of assuming and shapeshifting into many different forms. The basic forms have their roots in animal totems, and the great animal spirits. More bizarre shapeshifting can be found by certain Druids however. A prime example is the Druids of the Flame, who were capable of transforming into flaming beasts. Or the Druids of the Fang who were capable of taking the form of giant cobras. Bear Form The form of the mighty bear is arguably the easiest form to learn. This is probably why it is the first transformation taught to novice Druids. Bears are generally gentle creatures, which is most likely why it is easy to keep control of oneself while in bear form. The form of a Bear is easy to get accustomed to and understand. Druids use this form’s thick hide and strong bones to sustain heavy damage from their enemies. Foes that allow a Druid in bear form to draw too close will also face the wrath of tooth and claw. Cat Form The name of this form can be quite deceiving. It is called cat form, but it is not the form of some docile house cat. Lion, panther, lynx, or tiger form would be a more accurate description of this form. The ferocity of wild cats and the great cat spirit make this form more difficult to control than that of the bear. This ferocity is a powerful tool on the battlefield. A Druid shifted into the form of a great cat can inflict deep wounds upon their target. They are also capable of stalking prey from the shadows and brush before leaping upon their target to deliver their ferocious blows. Its feline agility can also not be denied, and while not close to the swiftest form to travel in it is certainly faster than running on two feet. Stag Form The form of a stag is not generally used for combat by Druids. While the antlers of the stag are quite dangerous to unarmored foes, the stags grace and speed are its most useful traits. Druids who shapeshift into the form of a stag do so for mobility reasons. Crossing great distances as a stag can be much easier than on two feet. More powerful Druids that practice the form of the stag have even been known to carry an ally upon their backs. Seal Form Similar to the form of a stag, seal form is not commonly used for combat. Again, the form of a seal is a utility form for underwater travel. A Druid in the form of a seal can not breath under water, that is a myth. They have a much stronger lung capacity, but seal form does not allow a Druid to breath under water. Aside from an increased lung capacity, seal form offers greater dexterity and speed in water. As aforementioned, the form is not commonly used for combat, but in a situation where a Druid must fight underwater, this form is likely the Druid’s most powerful option. Flight Form The form of flight is most commonly seen practiced by the acolytes of Avianna. While the form does provide instincts, feathers, and a very light body, it does not actually provide a Druid the innate knowledge required to fly. The experienced Druids of the Talon are tasked with teaching the disciples the knowledge needed to fly. It is not a simple or short process. Despite the difficulty in mastering the form, its traveling capacity is the strongest a Druid can hope to master. While it lacks the instantaneousness of teleportation, it does not simple hurl the Druid to a fixed point. The Druid is free to soar the skies to reach whatever destination they need to, and view the land below along the way. Owlkin Form The form of an Owlkin is one of the most dangerous to shapeshift into. It requires incredible balance of the mind to keep the Druid’s identity and not to be lost to the mind of the beast. Owlkin are very intelligent beings blessed by Elune. The difficulty in controlling the form probably lies in the Owlkin’s intelligence. Druids capable of mastering the form of an Owlkin are masters of natural and celestial magic. This form blessed by Elune draws the shifted Druid closer to the celestial powers they can call upon, greatly increasing their power in celestial magic and physical strength, as well as increasing their defensive properties due to the Owlkin’s thick feathered hide. Treant Form A rarely used form that empowers the Druid’s healing abilities. The treant form is incredibly easy to be lost within. Its benefits generally do not outweigh the potential to become a tree that will do little more than soak in the rays of the sun. A more advanced form called The Tree of Life form is sometimes used, which greatly amplifies a Druid’s healing abilities. This advanced treant form is all the more difficult to control however, and is often only slipped into for dire situations and only for a brief amount of time. Pack Form Unrivaled in ferocity and raw brutality, the pack form emphasizes power and strength. It is a banished form, due to Goldrinn’s rage that seems to be uncontrollable to any Druid. Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage banned the use of this form for its tendency to turn Druids into bloodthirsty wolf like beasts that kill both friend and foe without distinction. The Scythe of Elune was created to try to bring Balance to this form. Instead, the cursed Worgen form was created. From this form the worgen that now reside within the ranks of the Alliance were made from mere men. While the Druid Circle of Oakhall are not exactly bound by the laws of the Night Elves, the Circle has issued the same banishment of this dangerous form. Aspect of Shapeshifting The aspect of shapeshifting is found within intimacy with animal kind. As aforementioned, a great animal spirit can refuse to aid a Druid in his time of need. The Druid must build trust and intimacy with the animal spirits to bring their forms to use in battle or in travel. While similar to how the life flow works for Druidic healing, healing primarily concerns itself with the connection of a Druid to all around them. The intimacy of shapeshifting is more focused upon a Druid’s connect to what lives, breathes, eats, and sleeps like them. It is the magic of mimicking nature’s creatures at the most intimate level possible: By being one of them. Miscellaneous While it is true that mana and endurance play a large part in a Druid’s abilities upon the battlefield, it should be noted that many more factors are also involved in a Druid’s success on the field of battle. Reagents, locations, and certain events can provide clear advantages and disadvantages to a Druid. These topics will be covered here. Location A Druid’s location on the battlefield can mean multiple things. For example, if the Druid is located upon the frontline, by accident or not, they likely will need to adjust their method of combat or relocate if they believe they’ll be more effective at another area. Likewise, a Druid in the form of a bear would be foolish to hang back behind the frontline where they will not be able to effectively swipe at their enemy. A Druid’s location can also refer to where the battlefield is. If the Druid is in a dry desert, they may find their healing to be weakened. If in a thick jungle or forest a Druid may have more options for combat, such as being able to summon a swarm of insects to prey upon their foes. As such, a Druid must be wise to their surroundings and use them to their advantage. Druids who begin to rely on specific tactics in the heat of battle may enter a new location and find themselves being defeated by their own inability to adapt. Reagents Druids commonly use Moonwell Waters to assist in their healing efforts. The waters from Moonwells are highly effective in restoring mana to the Druid, in blessing the wounds of the patient, in protection of the body from flame, and in the blessing of food or weapons. Seeds of certain trees can be used similar to mana gems that magi carry around. These seeds can instead be infused with life energy beyond what a basic Druid could muster through his reserves of mana. It is commonly seen that Druids use these seeds to restore great life to allies thought to have already fallen in combat. These seeds take several weeks, if not a couple months to make. The waters from a Moonwell are used to bless these seeds as well. Druids are capable of conferring the wilds blessings upon individuals. Often times wild berries or various types of vines are used to confer these blessings of the wilds. Additional Materials Druid Circle of Oakhall Trials of the Oakhall Druid Oakhall Druid Tome